Snowflake
by entotre
Summary: She was his snowflake. And she loved that. No other woman would ever replace her. (((Human-AU, NorBela, NorBelg, side pairings too))) [Coming back! Just no schedule updates. Sorry.]
1. Prologue

**AN/ Chapter updated and cleaned out. Minor changes. Hope it's better c:**

**For new readers: Human AU, Norbela and Norbelg on the side. Some characters a little OOC just because of my own headcanons and the AU. Sorry! Anyways I love reviews. Enjoy!**

THIS OCTOBER was particularly cold, and the leaves had fallen and shriveled up already. It was even cold for this town: a large enough place sandwiched between a cold ocean, the corner of a short mountain and a field filled with farms. The people there were diverse, but generally kind to each other. Lots of families stayed in the town for generations. And it was slightly cut off from the rest of the word. A place that no one really noticed or cared for. Tourism was minimal, the ocean and fertile land providing most wealth – which happened to be quite a bit.

A man-made river flowed through the city and into the bay. Over it was a bridge, an old one. Made of brick and meant for walking on, and a long time ago for horses and carriages. (Which could still be found during the fall and winter. A nice Lithuanian man offered cheap rides through the town.) Today the bridge was busy as usual. The people here had gotten used to the cold, living in a northern sea all their life. One teenage boy on this bridge seemed to be able to withstand the weather more than most. He leaned on the edge of it in a thin hoodie, while most had pulled out thick coats and sweaters. A cigarette hung off his lip and a camera was cradled in his hand. He breathed smoke, and watched it drift into the air with lazer blue eyes until it was impossible to discern it from the cloudy sky.

"Those things'll kill you." She had been watching him for a while. Amazed at an uncanny resemblance.

He looked at her, "What's it matter to you?" He said it, but all he could think of was how gorgeous she was. Her pale blonde hair was slightly curled, moving in the wind in strands. Her skin was smooth, pale, and perfect. The teen didn't think he'd ever seen someone so beautiful.

The woman scowled, "What's your name?"

He furrowed his brow, "Again… what's it matter to you?"

She walked up to him, looking at the bay herself, "I'm Natalia."

The teen sighed, "Emil."

She looked at him, "So you are his brother then?"

Emil took a long drag, thinking, "How do you know my brother?"

Natalia didn't respond immediately. She could say many things. Because he used to hold her, and kiss her, and love her. Because she still loved him. Instead she removed her hand from a pocket and adjusted her coat collar around her chin, "I've met him."

Emil raised an eyebrow, "So you've slept with him?"

Natalia blushed and glared, "He didn't tell me you were so rude!"

Emil smirked, "Sorry, sorry. I don't have a good filter. Raised by guys, y'know? But I bet Lukas told you that."

Natalia just 'hmmped' and looked to the river.

Emil looked her over again, his teenage mind running wild. He frowned, "Seriously. I'm sorry…" He looked around, and held out his cigarette, "Wanna have a smoke?"

Natalia snorted, "No."

Emil rolled his eyes, making sure she didn't see, "Okay, then." Natalia didn't bother speaking. She watched the boats in the distance, lost in thought. Emil watched her, fingering the camera in his hands, "Hey… do you… um…"

"What?" Natalia growled.

Emil flinched, "Can I take a few pictures of you? I mean… you're just really picturesque, y'know?" He smiled a little, removing the lens cap off the camera. He held it up, showing her that he had a professional camera, and not a cheap camera phone. And that he wasn't just a silly teenager, at this moment at least.

Natalia blushed, "… Sure." She said a little uncertainly.

Emil grinned, "Just act casual then! Don't mind me." He jumped about, snapping shots and talking to himself.

Natalia did ignore him, she thought about how much he looked like her ex, and how different he acted. Her thoughts traveled to how she still had pictures of her and Lukas in her apartment, and how ridiculous she was for doing so.

"Um… you-you're very… ehm… beautiful." Emil snapped her out of her thoughts. Natalia looked at him, biting back a giggle. His face was bright red, contrasting greatly with his silver hair.

"Thank you, Emil." She smiled, genuinely.

He gave her a nervous smile back, "Uh, do you think that… maybe you'd be willing to model for me some other time? I mean, like, clothed. It's just… you're amazingly photogenic and well…"

Natalia studied Emil. He was probably a shy boy. Sensitive and clueless. Definitely clueless. But he was smart, and hardened. Lukas had told her that they didn't have the best life – as he put it – before moving to the small town. He seemed to be nervous when he wasn't standoffish. She shrugged, "Sure, why not?" Really, she was flattered.

Emil nodded, blush fading and breath returning, "Yeah, cool! I'll pay you, no problem." Really, he meant his older brother would pay her.

Natalia held out her hand, "Give me your phone."

Emil didn't question, just obeyed. He watched her take it and fiddle around. She handed it back, "That's my number, call me whenever and we'll figure it out." Oh, did that sound like a date waiting to happen? She thought it did. That wasn't what it was, right?

Emil thought so. What teenaged boy standing in front of a beautiful woman wouldn't? He smiled and waved, "Cool. I'll… I'll call you. Uh, bye!" He waved again and hurried away.

Natalia watched him go, then turned back to the river and went back to her thoughts.


	2. Brothers and Sisters

**AN/ Also updated, hope it's better.**

NATALIA ENTERED the coffee shop as she usually did: menacingly. Her high-heels clacked on the floor, and her pretty face was scowling. Some of the other customers winced as she passed their table, Natalia didn't notice. She didn't bother herself with people she didn't have business with. And there was only one person in the building she had anything to do with.

"Why must we keep meeting in wretched places like this?" Natalia sat down at a small table, her glare softening only slightly when she looked at the woman across from her.

The woman was humble looking, but big-busted. She smiled, "Oh Sister, it's fine! Have a cup of cocoa and relax."

"No, Kateryna! I'm not a child!" She pouted slightly, "You always treat me like one, Big Sister!"

The elder sibling chuckled, and thanked the waiter as he brought her coffee. He looked at Natalia, "Can I get you anything, señorita?" He asked with an accent and a smile.

Natalia shook her head and waved him off. Kateryna smirked, "He's handsome..."

"Oh, shut up!" She snapped, "I listened to you, got a boyfriend, and he dumped me. Are you ever happy?"

Kateryna reached for her sister's hand, "I know, sister. But you can't just sit and dwell on it."

Natalia shook her head, "I can't believe you… Just butt out." She looked out the window, barely able to make eye contact with Kateryna. It wasn't uncommon for them. Natalia had been listening to her sister's advice since she was a teenager. While she loved Kateryna, Natalia could find her simply insufferable.

Kateryna looked hurt, "Alright, fine. I'll let it be… But do stay and talk to me Sister. Please?"

Natalia sighed and unbuttoned her jacket, "How's Big Brother?"

Kateryna shrugged and looked into her coffee, "Off on another one of his vacations."

Natalia folded her arms on the table, and glanced at the floor. Her brother was gone quite often. She couldn't help but read into it, "Did he even come home at all? He didn't even call…"

The other took a drink, "Mmm… I'm not sure. He was…" She glanced at the other, seeing her put out look, "Oh, Sister… You aren't… Ivan travels for his health. You know that! Don't start blaming yourself for everything again, please. I hate seeing you like that."

Natalia huffed, "I'm not! Stop worrying, Big Sister."

Kateryna was quiet, studying her sister and reading her expressions. She sighed, "How're your friends, Sister? Lilli and Elizaveta?"

Natalia's face grew darker, she watched her sister examine her nails awkwardly, "Um, Sister is there something you want to tell me?"

The woman put her hands in her lap, "No, I'm fine." Her face went blank, neutral. She withdrew herself from the conversation.

Kateryna's face pulled into a worried expression. She'd just begun, "Natalia, please. Tell me what's wrong."

The younger woman shook her head, and stood, putting her jacket back on, "I have to go, Big Sister."

Kateryna didn't respond, just stared. Natalia took a second to stare back. She leaned down and kissed her sister on the cheek, "Goodbye, I'll call you later." Natalia left the cafe, less menacing than when she entered. Kateryna watched her go, a sickening feeling in her stomach.

* * *

Emil held his camera to his chest as he hurried down the street. Soon he was at the city docks. He slowed, taking the time to listen to seagulls and water lapping at the sides of boats. A small smile came to Emil's lips as the familiar sea calmed him.

Emil stopped in front of a sailboat. A man lied in it, reading a small, red, title-less book. He was blonde, part of his bangs pinned back. He flicked his indigo gaze up to Emil at the sound of a camera clicking.

The man snapped his book closed, "Take that damn cigarette out of your mouth." He spoke in a quiet voice, frustration skewing it into a growl.

Emil shrugged, and took another picture, "I've already smoked most of it, Lukas. Just let me finish." He lifted his cheeks into a sarcastic smile, "Please?"

Lukas grabbed a brown leather flat cap from next to him and pulled it onto his head with a deep breath. He climbed out of the boat and snatched the cigarette from between Emil's teeth, "Next time I catch you smoking I'll make you eat the cigarette. No little brother of mine is going to die of lung cancer." He snuffed the butt on a wooden post of the dock and handed it back to Emil, "And I better not see you just dump it anywhere."

Emil rolled his eyes, "Yes'm, of course."

Lukas slapped his little brother on the side of the head, making him yip in surprise. The elder brother turned and walked away, "Come on."

Emil stuck out his tongue at his brother's retreating back and just in spite tossed the cigarette remains in the dark waters. He hurried after Lukas, stopping to take a couple of pictures of his retreating back, and fell into pace a few steps behind him, "Do I need to go home for any reason?"

Lukas sighed, "No, and you can stop asking. Just stay at Berwald and Tino's they don't mind."

Another slight smile brightened Emil's face, "Okay."

Lukas tugged the brim of his hat down a little farther and sped up his already brisk pace, ignoring Emil's complaints.

* * *

"Hello?" Emil stepped inside the large home, smiling around at the familiar place. Warm colors filled the house wall to wall and the lights were a nice yellow hue. Delicious smells drifted from the kitchen, along with laughter. It was a place full of love and, the brother's couldn't help but relax from the fast, cold walk there.

"Emil?" A blond head poked itself out of the kitchen, "What are you doing? You should be in school!"

Emil groaned, "Oh come on, give me a break!"

"A break?! You—... Lukas! He's _your_ brother!" The man stepped into the hallway, an almost indiscernible look on his face. Lukas thought it was between a flustered, a worried, and a fed-up look.

He shook his head and stepped past him into the kitchen, "Tino, I've tried. Your turn."

Tino shot a small, disappointed glare at the man taking a beer out of his fridge. His naturally big, brown eyes lessened the effect significantly. He looked back at Emil, who had moseyed into the living room, suddenly absorbed by his phone. "Emil, will you please, you know, make an effort to graduate!"

He grunted and fell onto the couch, "I've got a whole 'nother year to catch up!"

Tino muttered something in Finnish and grabbed himself a beer, "That is all you Lukas. 'Mr. Procrastination.' "

"I was an amazing student, beg your pardon." Lukas defended.

Tino sat at the kitchen table next to Lukas, "Yeah, I bet. Why didn't that carry into adulthood. You're always putting things off and ignoring calls."

"I was." Lukas muttered.

"I'm a good student!" Emil called.

Tino chuckled sarcastically, "Yeah, just as good as you are at driving."

"Excuse me? I am an excellent driver!"

"Yeah, if you have a death wish."

Lukas smiled and examined his beer bottle, slightly tuning out of the lively conversation. His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he checked it, glancing at Tino.

"Last time I recall driving with you, you hit a cat and a parked car."

"It jumped in front of my way, and they looked like douchebags anyways!"

Lukas looked down at his phone, and smiled as he read the message from his girlfriend: _Hey you ;)_

He shook his head in amusement, the woman never ceased to impress him with her insistent flirting. Even he, who was certainly considered a 'womanizer', could feel slightly uneasy at his girlfriend's confidence. Lukas figured it was good for him. Too much confidence could kill a man.

But it wasn't anything like Natalia.

He frowned slightly. Both saddened and confused by the thought of his recent ex. Lukas had been seeing his current girlfriend for a while now. His sadness slowly faded to shame, _'Longer than we've been broken up…'_ He thought guiltily.

"Who're you texting? Have I been talking to myself this whole time?"

Lukas looked up at Tino, indigo orbs never betraying his inner turmoil, "Hmm?"

Tino rolled his eyes, and got up and left to the living room. Lukas followed, ignoring the text he had received.

* * *

"The ass didn't text me back!" Brigitte pouted playfully, "He does that though I guess. He's so quiet!" She put her phone aside and replaced it with a martini, looking around at her friends and tossing blonde hair from her eyes, "It's so sexy." She purred.

The others giggled. Another blonde, petite and innocent looking, blushed, "Brigitte, maybe we should take your phone. You don't want to drunk-text him now, do you?"

She laughed, "Lilli, it only matters if I text other guys. And besides he can handle it. It's not like he's an ex or anything. Or in a relationship… still!" They all giggled again.

Natalia didn't, smiling to keep the attention away from her. She was screaming inside though, _'I thought it was sexy first, pig! And he was in a relationship with me, bitch!'_ Her mind was running fast with as many insults towards her 'friend' as she could muster. The mad snickering the girls made was driving her insane.

Another woman sat on a chair next to Natalia. Her hair was long and brown, and she twirled a stand of it around her finger, "Did you ever meet his girlfriend? You know… did she catch you two?"

Brigitte shook her head, "That's the thing, Liz. She was never there to catch us. Lukas said she 'pushed him away' a lot and that they hadn't seen much of each other lately. I tell ya, it made him twice as affectionate if you know what I mean."

More giggles. This time Natalia couldn't bring herself to even smile. She looked into her vodka and cranberry. True, she had kept him at arm's length, but that wasn't the whole problem… The girls' giggles got louder, causing Natalia to look up and out of her thoughts.

She stood, "I've got to go."

Brigitte frowned, "Aww, Natalia!"

The woman closed her eyes, flustered, "I-I know. I forgot to lock my apartment and I won't be able to… I just have to go before I forget again." She set down her drink and gathered up her coat.

The petite blinked in worry, "You never forget things Natalia. Are you alright?"

"Yes, Lilli. I'm fine. I just slipped up once, no worries." She left the apartment in a blur and only slowed down after she was a block away.

Tears came then. Leaving thin, hot, wet trails down her cheeks. She stopped in her tracks – thankful she was alone – and let out a sob. Heavy breath clouding in the air. Natalia pulled the phone from her pocket and shakily dialed. She held it to her ear, biting back more sobs.

"Big Sister?"


	3. Ones You Can Count On

**AN/ Looked this one over too. I'm slowly working through** 'em!** C:**

NATALIA WOKE up on Kateryna's couch, stiff and groggy. A pain shot up her neck when she tried to move, making her freeze. The woman sighed and went limp, closing her eyes as she heard footsteps coming downstairs.

Kateryna's movements quieted as she tiptoed to the couch. Natalia evened her breathing quickly, pretending to still be asleep. Kateryna paused for a moment, checking on her sister. With an upbeat sigh she headed into the kitchen.

Natalia peeked an eye open, glancing around the familiar living room. She heard Kateryna start cooking and moving pots and dishes. A radio crackled on, giving news, weather, and traffic. Natalia closed her navy eyes again, the familiar sound soothing her. She had grown up with that ancient radio, and it held memories and mostly good ones at that. The young woman didn't put emotions into much, but that radio was an exception. And her feelings were held close and strictly watched. Even trinkets and objects could hurt her. As Kateryna busied herself with morning activities she continued checking up on Natalia. Her sister continued to 'sleep', knowing that soon Kateryna would head off to the grocery store and other errands like she did every other Saturday.

Finally Kateryna left, leaving a kiss on Natalia's forehead. Natalia opened her eyes as the door closed, waiting for the sound of her sister's car to disappear down the road before sitting up with a groan. She cracked her back and stretched out, then headed for the kitchen. As she expected there was a plate of pancakes warming in the microwave for her. Natalia took the plate, and reminded herself that next time she should get up when Kateryna is there to thank.

* * *

"It's so cool that you are willing to do this! Thanks, these pictures are awesome." Emil looked through the pictures on his camera, "Have you ever thought of being a model?"

Natalia didn't answer the question, or ask to see the photos. She had her own things to discuss, "How's your brother?"

Emil rolled his eyes and put his camera away, "Fine."

"How's his girlfriend?" Natalia said, trying to be nonchalant.

Emil smirked, "Oh, I see… They're doing good."

"Hmm…" Natalia shifted in her seat, looking around. They were in a small garage, worn down and falling apart. There were holes in the wall and ceiling, and the pale green paint was chipping off the gray wood. Junk lie around, collecting cobwebs and spiders. Birds lived in the rafters, and fluttering in and out as they pleased. Natalia could see how someone like Emil could enjoy this place. She preferred the warmth of a cozy home. But it was the type of place that Lukas would take her for a picnic.

"Do you still have a thing for my brother?" Emil stared at her, struggling not to.

Natalia whipped her head around, "Is that any of your business?" She snapped.

Emil shrugged, "Is my brother any of your business?"

Natalia looked away, hoping her long hair hid her blush from the boy's lazer blue eyes, "That was small talk."

Emil laughed, "And my brother's girlfriend? How do you even know he's seeing somebody else?"

Natalia huffed, "Why wouldn't he be?"

Emil tilted his head, "You aren't."

"Well maybe he's a slut! And that didn't even answer my question!" Natalia raised her voice, growing flustered and emotional.

Emil frowned, sensing her shift in mood, "He _is_ a slut. But you aren't, and it doesn't make sense that you aren't seeing anybody."

Natalia give him a confused look, sorting through his words, "… What? How can you… What?"

It was Emil's turn to blush, "I-I-I… I was trying to help!" He defended, "I mean, you could be dating if you wanted to! Why don't you want to?"

"Again! None of your business."

Emil threw his hands up in defeat, "Forgive me for trying to be kind!"

Natalia took a deep breath, and the two sat in awkward silence. She glanced at the teen, watching him pick at a piece of thread coming off the rotting couch they sat on. Natalia chuckled sarcastically, "I can't believe this."

"What?" Emil looked back to her.

Natalia leaned back on the couch, not thinking of what could be living in the old piece of furniture. "Lukas is dating my best friend, and I'm too pathetic to even tell her."

"I told you he was a slut." Emil laughed a little.

Natalia blinked, and then laughed with him. She smiled, "He isn't _all_ that amazing, is he?"

Emil pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, "I don't think so. But I've known him his whole life." He offered Natalia a cigarette, she refused, and he lit the one his mouth with a puffin adorned lighter.

Natalia found herself watching him again, "He really hates that you do that."

"Oh well." Emil sighed breathing a smoke ring, "I've had enough of people changing for Lukas."

"…What do you mean?" Natalia watched the smoke, slightly amazed.

Emil thought for a moment, "When we were younger Lukas was very spoiled, everything revolved around him."

Natalia started to laugh again, realizing she hadn't in a long time.

Emil smirked, "And that's an understatement. I mean, my parents were at his every hand and foot. Lukas hated it too! He was always trying to do things himself and be alone and everyone was going on _and on_ about how smart he was. And how creative he was. And how talented he was. Oh! Let's have Lukas play his violin for us. It was absolutely sickening!"

Natalia couldn't control her laughter at this point. In her mind's eye she saw a smaller version of Lukas, being show off and boasted about like a prize pig. Knowing him and how he despised attention was enough to imagine how he felt for it. His grumpy, pudgy little face in her head made her lose her composure.

Emil took another drag, "And he's painfully shy. And he hated it. So he started acting like a spoiled little brat and my parents did all they could to pacify him. You should have seen his temper tantrums."

Natalia calmed down, although a little Lukas throwing a temper tantrum was just as hilarious. She fixed her hair, "I don't think I've ever seen Lukas angry."

Emil raised his eyebrows, staring at a spot on the wall, "It's scary if he's mad at you. Like, _really_ mad. But when it's at someone else it can be hilarious."

"Really?"

"It depends on the person a lot though to. Like, he was mad at me once, right? I stole something or shit like that and he was chewing me out. And he actually yelled. Screamed. I've never seen him do that before. But then he gets mad at a friend of ours and they just go at it! He just beat the crap out of him! And he doesn't give any warning he just blows up and starts kicking your ass!" Emil shrugged, "We've only ever gotten in a few fights though."

Natalia blinked, enthralled, "He never told me any of that. Were they bad?"

Emil nodded, "They were pretty bad… And I'm not surprised. He used to have a bad anger problem when we were kids. But he got a lot better as he grew up."

Natalia crossed her arms, "Now that I think about it, Lukas and I never really talked about our childhood. He always said that everyone had a past and we kind of moved away from that subject."

Emil took the cigarette from his mouth, flicking off some ashes on the dusty floor, "He's ashamed of our past."

Natalia tensed, and looked at him, "He only told me that it was… bad."

Emil shrugged, "Not so bad. I survived just fine."

Natalia did not answer right away, thinking of her options. She could point out the fact that Emil was an obviously troubled, smoking, school-skipping delinquent and call him out on the 'just fine' part. But that might be too cruel for a teenager, maybe she should ask him if he wants to tell her. But why the hell would she do that? They weren't friends. Just two people who had one thing in common and were strangers enough to tell some secrets to. Either person not interested enough in the other's problems to actually think – let alone talk – about the other outside of their meetings. Those were the people you could really confide in. You could count on. Natalia furrowed her brow and opened her mouth to speak.

"I'm an orphan. To answer your question. And Lukas is my legal guardian. I mean, it's more complicated than that but…" He sighed smoke, leaning on the arm of the couch.

Natalia closed her mouth and waited. For what she wasn't sure.

"Lukas had… he had a lot that he never got to work out with our parents. Stuff that I did. He carries that around and, it wears on him." Emil pulled out a wallet from his back pocket, "How much do you want for the pictures? It's my brother's money so think big."

Natalia smirked, "How big?"

"Well I need sixty bucks so how 'bout fifty?" He handed her a couple of bills, smiling around his cigarette.

Natalia took it, remembering fondly how Lukas used to spend a seemingly endless amount of cash on her, "Thank you." She got up, "Just text me next time you need a model." Natalia walked out of the garage, to her waiting car parked on the dirt road outside.

* * *

Brigitte punched her time card with a happy sigh, relieved the long day was over. She left the bakery from the back door, shaking out flour from her short blonde hair. The chill outside made her shiver and she wrapped a scarf around her neck, burying her face in its warmth.

Someone fell into pace next to her, hooking their arm with hers, "Escort you home, Miss?"

Brigitte tilted her wide green eyes up, and relaxed as she recognized Lukas. The usual smirk found its way onto her face again, "I don't know. I think somebody else might have taken that job tonight. It _is_ Saturday after all."

Lukas smiled lightly, "Looks like his luck has run out then."

Brigitte grabbed his arm with her free hand, "Are you taking me out on another adventure?" She asked excitedly.

Lukas's blank face gave away nothing, "Want to guess where?"

Brigitte giggled, "Um… are we going out on the ocean?"

Lukas shook his head, "Much too cold. For you at least."

Brigitte hummed in thought, "Uh… the fish market? You like that place..."

Lukas chuckled quietly, "What kind of gentleman would I be if I took my lady to a place that reeked of fish? And besides it's closed for the year."

Brigitte scoffed, "Just tell me!"

"No."

"Lukas!" She whined, "Please?" He didn't answer, smirk tugging at his lips. Brigitte leaned her weight on him, dragging at his arm, "What kind of gentleman are you if you cause your lady distress, huh?"

Lukas sighed, "Just trust me, how about that? It'll be better as a surprise… You can count on me."

Brigitte groaned, "You're awful!"

"Mhm, completely wicked."

She rested her head on his shoulder, "But so awesome too."

"Don't know if that's the right word…" Lukas grumbled.

"Just take the compliment!" She slapped him lightly on the arm, laughing.

Lukas adjusted so he could wrap his arm around Brigitte's waist, "Thank you, Princess."

Brigitte smiled, letting Lukas lead her through the streets, "That's better."


	4. Things Like Coincidence

**AN/ Gutted and cleaned. I had a note about the great feedback and inspirations I got from everyone reading here that I wanted to keep. Thank you so much! c:**

**And oh my god why did nobody tell me that I had messed up the dates in here. Slowly fixing them.**

* * *

NATALIA SAT alone in the restaurant, bouncing her leg nervously and biting her nails. She scanned the restaurant, looking for her sister. It wasn't often that Kateryna was late. And especially not on big nights like this, not with their brother coming home.

Natalia ordered a glass of wine, and another, she was almost done with it when Kateryna blew in. Her cheeks were rosy, and she was out of breath, "Sorry, I got held up at work."

Natalia glared at her, "You work at a Kindergarten! It's Saturday!"

"We have weekend preschool. Some poor kid didn't get picked up! I couldn't just leave him there, could I?" Kateryna took off her fur coat, resting it on her chair. She smiled, "I'm here now! Just relax."

Natalia rolled her eyes and finished off her glass of wine. The two sisters sat quietly, Kateryna occasionally bringing up some kind of small talk. The night dragged on and the waiter eventually left them the bottle of wine. Natalia stared at her empty glass, "He's not coming is he?"

Kateryna sighed and poured herself another glass of wine, "Well… let's just treat ourselves then." She grabbed her menu, "I bet I can get Big Brother to pay for our dinner somehow." Natalia looked at her own menu, frown deepening. She looked up for a last glance for their brother.

* * *

And Lukas looked back at her with wide eyes, he quickly followed the hostess to their table, holding Brigitte's hand and avoiding Natalia's gaze. He pulled out Brigitte's chair, stomach sinking. The blonde grinned at Lukas, "Am I under-dressed?" She asked in a whisper.

Lukas sat down, and shook his head. He opened his menu, "Of course not. You've been wanting to come here for a while right?"

She nodded. Lukas shrugged, "Then enjoy your time." His words were rushed, and he moved in jerky movement.

Brigitte nudged him with her foot, "What's wrong?"

He looked up, unable to keep his eyes from flicking to Natalia. Who was glaring at him. He quickly looked away, "Nothing." Lukas cleared his throat, "Nothing."

"Seriously. I've never seen you like this before." Brigitte smirked and lifted her foot up to rub the inside of Lukas's leg, "Relax. Let's have a good night, eh?" She winked.

Lukas nodded, forcing himself to smile, "Yes, of course." He spared another look at Natalia, thankful she'd been distracted by something. And that Brigitte hadn't seen her. The man started to relax like Brigitte had said and the two started to enjoy their date.

A loud party came in, making Lukas turn his head. He cursed as he spotted four very familiar faces step in. Brigitte followed his gaze, "Is that your family?"

Lukas looked around the table, picking up a menu and holding it over his face as if he were looking over the dishes, "Just don't make them look over."

Brigitte held up her own menu, "Why are we hiding?"

"The one with the stupid hair-do will be all over you, the tall one with the glasses is the most awkward man I know. The short blonde can't stop talking for the life of him and the idiot with the silver hair is just filled to the brim with sarcasm." Lukas muttered, hiding his face a little more.

Brigitte set down her menu, "I'd love to meet them. Let's get a bigger table."

Lukas stared at her, startled but not letting it show. The others _kind of_ knew about his current girlfriend, but he certainly hadn't expected them to meet her. The man peered at his family, glanced at Brigitte, and let his eyes stray to Natalia across the room - Who was glaring back at him again – then back at Brigitte. The blonde's smile widened, begging with her eyes. Lukas grimaced, _'She was only supposed to be a fling…'_

Brigitte grabbed his hand, "Please?"

Lukas sighed and set down his menu, "Why not?" He caught Tino's eye and grumpily raised his hand to wave. The man smiled and waved back.

Once they'd all resettled themselves Lukas went around the table, introducing the men and pointing at each, "This is Mathias next to me, then Berwald and Tino, they have a son named Peter. And lastly my little brother Emil." He looked at his girlfriend, "This is Brigitte."

Mathias held out his hand to her, "Nice to meet you Brigitte! Lukas didn't tell us how pretty you are!" Lukas stomped on Mathias's foot.

Emil pulled out his phone, "And here we go." He grumbled. Berwald nudged him and shook his head.

* * *

"What are you staring at?" Kateryna waved her hand in front of Natalia's face, then turned to follow her gaze.

Natalia looked to her pasta, "Nothing, just thinking."

Kateryna furrowed her brow, "Are you alright?"

"Of course." Natalia replied curtly, "What makes you think something is wrong?"

"You're eating pasta for once. I'm sure that doesn't fit into your anorexic diet." Kateryna pointed at the bowl with her fork.

"Do you always have to bring that up? Just for once I'd like to eat without being reminded about it!" Natalia snapped at her. Kateryna fell quiet, focusing on her soup. Natalia went back to glaring at Lukas across the room, and stabbing her ravioli in anger. Her phone buzzed, and she pulled it out to check it. It was from Emil, who made eye contact with her from across the room.

"Are you seriously texting? Can't you just talk to me?" Kateryna pleaded.

Natalia read over the text again, basically talking about how she was better than Brigitte, "Sorry Sister." She said, looking at Emil. He flashed a smile. Natalia looked at her food, mind whirring. Here she was, feeling sorry for herself and acting bitter. Pining over her ex. While his little brother pined over her. What the hell was wrong with the world? Where did Emil get the idea of _them_? And what was with the look Lukas gave her? Was he scared? Natalia set her fork down, confused and off put from her meal. Kateryna started talking, she didn't listen. Natalia watched Emil stand up from his seat and head across the room to the bathroom, smiling at her.

"Excuse me." Natalia got up and followed him. She couldn't let him run away with these ideas. It was only going to hurt somebody.

"Holy shit! What are you doing?" Emil shouted, quickly zipping up his pants. His voice rose in pitch to a near screech, "This is the men's bathroom!"

Natalia walked up to the teen, "What are you doing?"

Emil flushed, and stared at Natalia with wide eyes, "What are you talking about?"

"I mean this: 'This slut it so annoying you're so much better! I can't believe Lukas dumped you!' " She shoved the phone in his face, "What the hell is that?"

Emil shrugged, "I was just saying…"

Natalia slipped it back in her pocket, "It's never going to happen, Emil."

"You do know you're in the men's bathroom right?" He tried to change the subject.

She huffed, "Emil, you can't do this."

He frowned, blue eyes starting to water. Emil rubbed his neck, "I-I…"

Natalia crossed her arms tight, shoulders slumping, "Although… I _am_ flattered."

There was a tense silence in the bathroom while Natalia and Emil avoided each other's gaze. Eventually he took a deep breath and managed to speak in a cracked voice, "Do-Do you still love him?"

If it were possible, Natalia might have pitied the boy. With his hurt feelings and injured look, she had to admit she sympathized with him. But pity was something Natalia was incapable of, "Don't do that, Emil. It's definitely not anything to blame someone for."

"Whatever." Emil scowled, suddenly angry. He hurried out of the bathroom, pausing briefly to brush a kiss on Natalia's cheek. The teen wiped his eyes with his sleeve once he was back in the dining room, and hurried to his table with purpose. He sat down, casually returning to the table.

Emil waited, and watched Natalia go back to her table solemnly. She looked at Lukas again, this time not angry, but saddened. Emil scratched his head, something about the way a perfectly gorgeous and just… perfect woman being hurt and upset and unable to move on because of his damn _brother_ ticked him off. He shifted his eyes to his brother and the rest of their family, gears clicking in his head. No one could say anything about Emil being stupid. He was actually a lot like his brother, "Hey, Lukas." He leaned closer to the man, whispering just loud enough for everybody else at the table to hear.

"Isn't that your ex Natalia over there?"


	5. A Bitter Man and Bitter Coffee

**AN/ I'm so sorry! It's late and filler! Don't worry though, the next chapter is practically writing itself and I'll make it up to you around Thanksgiving (American Thanksgiving). This should make you guys laugh a little, I thought that the last chapter had a lot of drama so here's some comic relief. Thank you for all the reviews and sorry again!**

* * *

BRIGITTE'S MOUTH twitched and for a second she sported an evil smirk. Lukas's lips pulled into a tight light, his eyes widened drastically. He turned to his girlfriend to stop her, but she had already looked over her shoulder. Lukas only managed to see the light bounce off her short golden hair as it whipped about her head.

Brigitte's green eyes met with Natalia's blue ones. Both women stared for a moment, then snapped their heads to look towards the tables in front of them. Brigitte looked purely shocked, moving her mouth to speak but not uttering a word. Her eyes shone with confusion and hurt. Across the room Natalia's looked the same, as they had been ever since Lukas broke up with her.

Lukas watched her carefully, like a child eyeing a strange looking dish his parents had made. He parted his lips, but before he could speak Brigitte slammed her hands on the table. Mathias and Tino flinched, leaning away from the furious woman.

She glared at Lukas, silent. Then stood, grabbed her coat and left the restaurant. Lukas didn't call after her, instead turning to Emil. The man raised a finger, thinking about yelling at his brother. Instead he sighed angrily and hurried after Brigitte.

* * *

Natalia watched him go, unsure of what to think. The idea of following them passed briefly, but the look on Brigitte's face discouraged that. She wasn't in the mood to deal with her.

But that meant she only wanted to talk to Lukas… And she hated him even more than her.

Her gaze skirted over Emil. Should she confront him? About what? Doing something for her? Hurting Lukas? She didn't care about that. He deserved that, he really did. And she didn't feel the tiniest bit guilty.

But she did. She really did. And it pained her so much to see him betrayed by his own family. Natalia knew how much that hurt.

"Natalia, please. Tell me what's wrong." Kateryna reached forward and took her sister's hand.

Natalia blinked at her sister. Usually she'd pull her hand away, but she didn't bother. The young sister looked up at the elder, "I'm… fine, Kateryna." She smiled and looked back at Emil. He shrugged back at her and gave a tiny smirk.

Natalia checked her phone.

_You're welcome._

* * *

"Brigitte!" Lukas ran after her, thankful that the sidewalk was relatively empty at this time of night. Something told him he'd want the coming conversation (argument) to be relatively private. He took a second to thank whatever was up there that his family hadn't followed. Especially not Mathias.

"Brigitte! Stop." Lukas caught up to her and reached, wrapping his hands around her arm, "Please."

She tried to jerk away. Lukas only stopped, pulling her to a stop with him, "What on Earth are you so upset about?"

Brigitte puller her arm away, "Let go of me!" She peered up at him, green eyes slightly watery.

Lukas studied them, "What's wrong, Princess?"

Brigitte sniffed, her anger returned and she tried to push Lukas away – he didn't budge, "Did you know?!"

Lukas played dumb, "Know what?"

She lowered her head, "That-That Natalia… was my friend?"

Lukas thought about his answer carefully… The Truth: He had known. Of course he had known. The only reason Lukas pursued Brigitte was to hurt Natalia… And now of course he deeply regretted it. All he wanted was to let Brigitte go without hurting her and get his sweet Snowflake back as if nothing had happened.

But there was always The Victim: I can't believe you'd think I'd hurt you like that. I love you, and I could never do that. I had no idea.

The Half-Lie: I had seen you both around, but I didn't know exactly… I mean… Lukas nearly grimaced at that. Even he couldn't pretend to be like… Mathias.

"No. I did not know that you and Natalia were friends." He said in his usual monotone voice.

Brigitte fixed him with an intense stare, "Really?"

Lukas grabbed her hand again and put on a smile, "Of course. I wouldn't do that to you or Natalia." Lukas could _feel_ his soul darkening. He was pretty sure that his nose was growing too. Pity, he had quite liked the size of his nose, and his soul had been a beautiful shade already.

Brigitte's anger was subdued, and she took the time to put her coat on and button it, "… I'm glad. I really thought that you'd only dated me to get at her…"

Lukas cleared his throat, "Of course not, Princess…"

The blonde twirled a strand of her hair around her finger, "And then you'd feel bad and go back to her like a cheap, badly-written romance story."

Lukas shook his head, "Never…"

Brigitte giggled solemnly, "Natalia is a lot prettier than me."

Lukas leaned forward and gave Brigitte a quick kiss, "Don't lie. It's bad."

_'Yes, I'm pretty sure it's black as coal now…'_ Lukas thought.

Brigitte hugged her man, breathing in his fresh scent. He smelt like plain soap and lemon, like books and pine needles. The whole smell was intoxicating, and nearly made her dizzy. She loved that about him though. Brigitte _knew_ that she could close her eyes and feel him wrap his strong arms around her and he'd take care of everything. She _knew_ that he might even close her eyes too and know himself that everything would be alright.

Lukas didn't close his eyes, and his stomach only sank with dread. Because he _knew_ that somebody was going to end up terribly hurt. And he _knew_ that it'd be the girl in his arms, trusting him with her very soul. Her soul that was perfect compared to his.

Brigitte let loose a happy sigh and pulled away, smiling up at Lukas, "I should go. I need to think. I-I'm not sure what I should do… You understand right?"

Lukas nodded, stare flat.

His girlfriend shrugged, "She's my friend… Oh God, the things I said in front of her…" Brigitte put her head in her hands, suddenly embarrassed.

Lukas lifted an eyebrow, "Like what?"

"We were drinking and I… Oh, nothing." She waved it off, "I'll sort it out." Brigitte got on her toes to peck Lukas on the cheek and started backing away, "Bye."

He raised his hand to wave, "Bye…" Lukas watched her walk away until she turned a corner and out of his sight. He combed his bangs out of his eyes with his fingers and turned on his heels, walking back to the restaurant.

* * *

Lukas woke up alone to his dismay. As he'd been half-expecting and half-wishing that Brigitte was lying next to him and the previous day had never happened. But if that'd been a dream the fact he ever made the mistake of leaving Natalia would be too and he'd wake up next to her. Why not go so far as to say that Emil had never moved into Berwald and Tino's. Better yet he was still a privileged child living in a huge house with two distant, yet loving parents. He didn't have to deal with the world, and he didn't have to worry about a single thing.

But no. His alarm was blaring, since he'd forgotten to shut it off. He was alone, since he'd been an idiot to cheat on a woman with her friend. And he had no one else in the house with him, since he was a bitter man with a way of smothering his last remaining family. So he lied in the bed, alone, upset, and a little more bitter, with the pillow over his head and a migraine pulverizing his brain. All at six on a Saturday morning, with just about four hours of sleep under his belt.

Lukas could feel that this would be a day from the very depths of hell.

He managed to throw enough things at the alarm clock to get it to shut up, but then he was too awake to fall back asleep. Lukas got up and stumbled downstairs for his dose of coffee. But he was an awful, cold-hearted man, incapable of love and that apparently didn't deserve coffee.

Lukas found himself at his kitchen table, his face blank, and not showing the screaming anger that was building up inside of him. He rubbed his eyes, and dialed Mathias's number. The man on the phone was surprised, _"Lukas? What are you doing up?"_

"Do you have any coffee?"

_"Good morning to you too, Cutie."_

"Answer the question."

_"I dreamt about you too! Connection!"_

"Mathias."

_"I lied awake thinking about you until, like, twelve though."_

"We were both drinking until twelve idiot, and answer the question."

_"Ohh, What did we do after the drinking? Something naughty?"_

"Why did I even call you?" Lukas's head was sinking towards the table. Slowly, steadily.

_"Because you love me?"_

It fell with a thud, he dropped the phone on his table and let out a tortured moan.

_"… Lukas? Are you okay?"_

The blonde grabbed the phone again and hung up. He dialed Berwald's number this time. The phone only rang once, "Berwald? Coffee? Please?"

_"Ye sh'ld come 'ver her. Mathias w'nts to see ya."_

Another moan.

_"Peter w'nts ta see ya?"_

Lukas hung up and stood, heading for the door. He left the house as is: robe, pajamas, slippers and all.

* * *

"You're evil for making me drive all the way over here." Lukas didn't bother giving Berwald a 'good morning', opting to glare up at him instead.

The giant stepped to the side to let Lukas through, and shut the door behind him. The kitchen was lively as ever, and loud. Lukas winced as he took a seat next to Peter – A brown-haired boy around the age of ten. Peter smiled up at him, "What are you doing here, Uncle Lukas?" He pulled a pin in the shape of a golden cross out of his pocket and stuck it in his hair, taking some of it out of his eyes.

"Coffee." He grumbled, scanning the table with his indigo eyes. "Tino, what on Earth is wrong with you?"

Tino didn't answer, head flat on the table and arms limp beside it. Mathias grinned and patted his head, "He's hung-over! Isn't he adorable?"

Lukas rested his own head in one of his hands, looking over at Emil. His little brother was making a point of not looking at him. Lukas wasn't going to say anything. Not without coffee.

He almost got up and hugged Berwald as he brought a steaming mug to the table. Setting it down in front of Lukas, "Thanks." He managed to get out before delightfully burning his mouth on the dark liquid.

"Can I try some?" Peter tugged at Lukas's robe.

"Just a sip." He handed him the mug.

"No." Tino lifted a finger, his voice muffled by the table.

"Sit up." Berwald returned to the table with a skillet of eggs and a stack of plates, "Food's re'dy."

Lukas winked at Peter as the boy took a sip of his coffee, grimacing and pushing the mug away. He smirked and took a large gulp himself, "Thank you for breakfast, Berwald."

Mathias nodded, still grinning, "Even though yer nowhere near as good a cook as me!"

"That's rude, Mathias." Tino finally sat up in his chair leaning back and sinking down a little. His hair messy and huge bangs rested under his brown eyes.

Emil continued sitting quietly, awkwardly. He started to eat his eggs in small bites, and sip at the tea in front of him. As they ate, Lukas started to stare at him, not bothering to hide it when Emil did dare a glance in his direction. The others noticed it. Mathias trying to start conversation. Only for it to die in the air. Peter eventually started to talk to him, making things only slightly less tense.

Emil set his fork down and looked at Lukas, "Do we really have to do this here?" He whispered frantically.

Lukas didn't say anything, just took a drink of coffee and continued to stare. Emil rolled his eyes and shoveled down his meal, grabbing his mug and leaving. Tino watched him go, irritated, "He didn't even take his plate to the sink!" Lukas listened to Emil's footsteps hurry up the stairs, mug halfway to his lips. He set it down and followed, scowling the whole way.

Berwald and Tino had a large house, three stories including the attic – which is where Emil stayed. Lukas slipped inside, not bothering to knock on the door. After the first door was a small entryway with stairs leading up to the main room. Emil had hung curtains and blankets up, just in case he needed more time to conceal whatever he was doing.

But he hadn't heard Lukas enter, and the man pushed past the fabric silently. He found that Emil wasn't at his desk like he'd expected. Lukas looked around. More fabric hung from the ceiling. Some in a corner next to a dresser, and more around the teen's bed. Lukas drew back both, Emil wasn't there.

A breeze ran across his cheeks, and he looked to the open window. Spotting a cloud of smoke blow by. He sighed and climbed out onto the roof.


	6. Fairytales

**AN/ On time! And hopefully not trash like the last one. I didn't write this one feverish, exhausted, and high on cough medicine. Anyways, I really like how this chapter turned out. By the way, if there are any errors in terms of consistency then just let me know. There were a few things I was iffy on and I double-checked. But if you notice it just tell me. Sorry, long note!**

* * *

LUKAS CREPT over to where Emil sat on the roof, settling down next to him. He sighed and fixed his eyes on the sea in the distance. He waved his hand in front of his face to clear a cloud of smoke, "Can you put that out, please?"

Emil took his cigarette out of his mouth, "Are you going to make me eat it?" Emil murmured.

Lukas shook his head, "No… That'd be cruel."

"I'd probably deserve it…" Emil snubbed the cigarette and threw it in Berwald and Tino's gutter.

"Feeling guilty?" Lukas snorted, "That's new."

Emil rolled his eyes, "Not anymore I'm not."

There was a small silence between them, while they thought of what to say. Lukas turned to his little brother, "Why'd you do it?"

"Why'd you?" Emil shot back, looking straight back.

Even Emil didn't catch the slightest changes in Lukas's face and eyes. He didn't catch the flicker of regret in his eyes and the way his mouth twitched in guilt. Emil looked into his brother's face and saw a blank, cold man. Lukas wet his lips and rubbed his chin, "I honestly don't know."

Emil narrowed his eyes, "Really?! That's your answer?"

"I-…"

"No!" Emil shouted, cutting him off, "What the hell drives someone to break another's heart?!" He slammed his hand on his knee.

Lukas eyed Emil curiously, "It's complicated."

"Don't give me that bullshit." Emil groaned, anger melting as soon as it had appeared. He leaned back, lying down and staring up at the overcast sky, "Natalia's perfect."

"… What the hell is going on between you two?" Lukas asked.

Emil let out a loose a short, sarcastic laugh, "That's just it. Absolutely nothing."

"I meant, how did you meet her? Why were you talking to her?" Lukas leaned back himself, lying down next to his brother.

He didn't see Emil's blush, "She… she models for me. For pictures."

Lukas chuckled a little, "Please don't say she models naked."

"Have I ever asked anyone else to take their clothes off?" Emil glared at him, watching his brother's peaceful face. Lukas watched the clouds fondly, as if he'd seen an old friend. It only enticed Emil more, "How can you just sit here? How can you live with yourself?"

Lukas furrowed his brow and glanced at the teen from the corner of his eye, "… What do you mean?"

Emil looked back up to the sky, "You had the perfect woman, than cheated on her with her best friend. You broke her heart." Emil sighed, "I'd be awfully torn up right now." He said matter-of-factly.

"You should know that I'm not one to outwardly show my emotion." Lukas sighed himself, and turned his head to look at his brother.

"Why'd you do it?" Emil asked quietly.

Lukas closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, "I could sleep up here…"

"Lukas, please tell me." Emil was dying to know. Partly because he was curious, and partly because he desperately didn't want to be so upset with his brother anymore.

"She told me that…" Lukas started, than closed his mouth mid-sentence, face tensing slightly. Something tightened his chest, and made his eyes twitch. He sat up and looked away from Emil, "She told me something I never wanted to hear. And other… things on top of that."

"So you overreacted?" Emil stared at his brother's back, "And you're just an asshole?" He sat up, confused, "That's what you're telling me? What on earth did she say?"

"I can't tell you…" Lukas could hardly think about it. Not that it was a heinous and unforgivable act, it just hurt. He felt vulnerable, something he hadn't felt in a long time. Sometimes it made him feel hurt enough to justify what he'd done.

"Why? Because it'll just make you look worse? I don't even know if that's possible right now. You have a fight with your girlfriend and then you date her best friend? What the hell is that?" Emil started to get worked up again, and his brother ignoring him was only making him angrier.

Emil huffed angrily and jumped up to his feet. He grabbed Lukas's shoulders and pushed him over, falling himself. Lukas twisted around, "What the hell are you doing?"

Emil wrapped his arms around Lukas's waists and tried his best to roll the larger man under himself. Lukas grunted in annoyance and grabbed Emil's wrist. He got to his seat and pulled his little brother up with him, "We're on a roof, Emil! Stop!"

"You stop!" Emil whined. He tried to break free of Lukas's grip, but was too weak. Lukas grabbed his free arm, trying to stop Emil's flailing. Unlike his brother he hadn't forgotten how close they were to the edge. Emil wouldn't be held, when pulling didn't work he threw himself into Lukas.

Lukas cried out as he started falling. He landed roughly on the shingles. Emil made a small noise of triumph as he pinned his brother down beneath him. He pulled back his arm and landed a punch on Lukas's jaw. The elder's indigo eyes flashed dangerously, "Don't start this Emil. You know you'll lose."

Emil hesitated this time, but punched his brother again. Lukas reached up and grabbed Emil by the collar, he rolled them over again. His foot slipped off of the roof for a second, and he scrambled to get away from the edge. Emil turned on his stomach and started crawling away. Lukas grabbed the back of his shirt to pull himself away from the edge. Emil turned around, slapping Lukas in the face. He jerked backwards, too far, and tipped back and off the roof.

* * *

Natalia watched her phone come alive, vibrating over the kitchen table and sporting a picture of Brigitte. The blonde was winking at the camera, smirking and holding up her martini. Natalia couldn't tell you which night it had been taken. So many of the nights with Brigitte looked like that.

The phone went dark for a moment, then lit up again. This time beeping and showing a missed call alert. Natalia sighed and leaned onto the table. Brigitte had been calling her all day, and all day Natalia ignored her. She didn't want to talk to her.

Ever again.

What did Brigitte even want to say? Sorry for being a horrible human being! Hope I didn't hurt anyone's feelings. What was there to say between them? Nothing at this point could save their friendship. Natalia was torn between hating Brigitte and happily never seeing her again and crying at the very same fact. She found it strange that a secret emerging from the dark woods could be enough to rip apart years of friendship. Maybe that meant that their friendship had already been decaying. Or maybe it wasn't a true friendship at all.

Natalia lifted her head when the phone gave a small buzz, signaling a new text message. She glanced at it and saw it was from Brigitte. Natalia reached for the small machine, stopping halfway and deciding to grab the end of a strand of her pale blonde hair and starting twisting it around her fingers. Slowly the hair wrapped tightly around her fingers started to cut off circulation, and they went numb. Natalia stared, watching her fingers turn pink then purple. She supposed that Brigitte had been the same way, slowly squeezing the air out of her.

When they first met in high school things had been better, they were best friends in every sense of the way. Natalia didn't mind admitting that she became harsh and cold for a while after the death of her father, and she had plenty of drama that had kept attention on her while pushing Brigitte in the shadows. But Natalia had been there for Brigitte after the death of her parents, and when her brother left.

Despite all of the support and care Natalia had given her - Something that had been difficult for her – Brigitte still came out of it all as a selfish and almost cruel person. Natalia could cut her some slack, she was selfish herself, and not doing so would be awfully hypocritical. But she liked to believe that she'd never be selfish enough to steal someone's love.

Scowling, Natalia got up and went to her bathroom, pushing thoughts of Brigitte out of her mind. She looked in the mirror, wandering just what was wrong with her: long, pale hair, high cheekbones, intense blue eyes, a curvy frame, and thick lips. She knew she was beautiful. So that wasn't it. Natalia turned to the side, putting one hand on her stomach and one on her behind. She had gone through her age of bad body image, and now was completely confident with her appearance. She was in no way fat, maybe too skinny. So that wasn't it either. Besides, Lukas wasn't that superficial.

She could have been pushing him away too hard. Perhaps pulling away from the few and modest touches, or ignoring him for days when she was upset and been too hard on him. But his 'revenge' seemed simply too severe. And he had his fair share of problems. Always there, constantly helping. Natalia wasn't weak. She was perfectly fine alone, and she _hated_ being babied.

They were both at fault for not trusting each other though. Natalia walked to her room, kneeling onto her bed and sprawling out. She stared at a picture of her and Lukas still on her nightstand. She couldn't seem to get rid of that picture. It seemed that for all the distrust she held during her and Lukas's relationship something deep down inside trusted him deeply. Trusted him to come back to her.

The same thing that wanted to believe she'd grow up to be a princess when she grew older, the same thing that _still_ believed. And whenever she thought about it she felt like a kid, a pitiful child. Tears stung her eyes and she raised a hand to her mouth, sobbing into it. She was pathetic. Pathetic for believing in fairy tales like friendship, and happiness, and love.


	7. Coast Is Clear

**AN/ Fixed! I had a lot of typos in this chapter. And oh my, that An at the end.**

* * *

MATHIAS LOOKED UP, hearing thumps from the roof. There was some muffled shouting, then the sound of something heavy falling. The man glanced at Berwald, "Should we check on them?"

Berwald shrugged, "Th're pr'ly fine."

Tino nodded, "Lukas won't hurt him."

Emil came tearing down the stairs, eyes wide. He flung open the door, leaving it open as he ran outside. He dropped to his knees by his brother, "OhmyGodareyoualrightI'msosorry! Lukas!"

The man groaned and sat up, "I'm fine." He winced and hissed, "Gah, my foot." He took a deep breath, "Knocked the wind out of me…"

Emil put a hand on his brother's shoulder, "Do you have a concussion? Look at me."

Lukas shrugged him off, "Ugh… I'm fine. I-I…" He furrowed his brow, "Am I wiggling my toes?"

Emil looked at Lukas's foot, "What? Uh, no. Why does that matter?"

"Because it hurts, damn it! And I'm trying to move my foot!" Lukas shouted at him. Emil drew back and fell silence.

Lukas muttered to himself and grabbed Emil's upper arm, "Help me up, will ya?"

Emil got to his feet and pulled Lukas up with him, "Maybe we should take you to the hospital…"

"Nonsen- Ah!" Lukas's knees buckled when he put weight on his hurt foot. Emil grunted and almost fell with him.

"Stand up! I thought you were fine!" Emil shouted at him.

Lukas took a staggered breath and sat back down in the grass, his face pale. Emil squatted next to him, "Lukas?"

"What's going on out here?" Tino came outside, followed by Berwald and Mathias, "What's wrong?"

"Emil pushed me off the roof." Lukas grumbled. The accused's jaw dropped, but he did not protest.

"What?!" Mathias asked, going to help Lukas get up, "Are you okay?"

Lukas slapped Mathias's helping hand away, "I'm fine! Just leave me be."

"Emil! Why would you do that?" Tino grabbed Lukas, ignoring his protests, and lifted him up. The man made a pained face.

"'Re ya hurt?" Berwald supported Lukas from the other side, grumpy face unchanging as he worried for his friend.

"His foot..." Emil murmured.

"It's nothing." Lukas said, although he didn't step down on his left foot.

Mathias crossed his arms and grinned, "Then let's see you walk inside the house. By yourself."

Lukas scowled and shook off Berwald and Tino. He stood on his foot tentatively, and held out his arms, "See? I'm fine."

"Then let's go inside." Mathias turned and waved the others.

"Okay." Lukas retorted sarcastically.

"Okay." Mathias smirked and stared at Lukas.

He took a step, then a quick one, hissing. Lukas continued to move slowly, limping severely.

Tino grimaced, "Maybe you broke your foot…"

"Look! It doesn't even hurt. Let's just go back inside." Lukas stopped at the porch stairs and sat down with a groan.

"Th'ts not th' house…" Berwald peered at Lukas through his glasses.

Tino nodded, "Mathias, go grab Lukas some shoes. Emil will you watch Peter while we're gone?"

"No, Tino, I'm not going to the hospital." Lukas said.

"That's nice. Help him up Berwald."

* * *

"Why did Uncle Lukas have to go to the hospital again?" Peter asked without glancing away from his video game for a second.

Emil stared out the window, biting his nails, "He fell."

"Uncle Lukas doesn't seem like the one to fall randomly." Peter paused his game and looked at the teen.

"Did Mathias break his foot? Where they fighting again?"

"… Yeah." Emil huffed and frantically scratched his head.

"Why are you so nervous, Emil?"

"I'm not!" He snapped and marched across the living room to the stairs, "Stay out of trouble and don't bother me." He raced upstairs to his room, feet pounding on the wood floor. Emil felt infinitely safer in his dark room, and even more so in his bed with the makeshift curtain drawn shut.

He could not believe the guilt gnawing at his insides. Even if he had hurt his brother by pushing – Accidentally! – him off a roof, the man was still alive! And maybe the fall would set him straight. All that morality from realization of mortality bullshit.

Emil dug in his jean pocket for his phone, wanting to call and see what was happening. He instead found Lukas's phone, remembering he had found it fell out of Lukas's pocket in the yard. His brother had a new text message.

The teen had faced many moments like this in his life. Finding wallets, people mistaking him for his brother over the phone. (Tino did that the most.) It hardly crossed Emil's mind that he shouldn't snoop, and it seemed his previous guilt had momentarily escaped him. Besides, it was from Brigitte, he could not turn that down.

Emil giggled as he started to read the text, it was long. Something about 'what we're doing is wrong' and then some 'I want to fix things' and more of 'I feel so awful.' Emil's curiosity started to wear thin, as he saw there was nothing of interest to him in the text. Then his eyes danced on a simple, blunt sentence.

'I'm going away for a while, we'll talk when I get back.'

Emil gasped and his finger slammed down on the delete button. "Shit." He exclaimed, frantically looking for a way to get the text back. There was no hope, it was lost.

Emil set the phone beside him, not too worried. If Lukas didn't know the text existed, he wouldn't know Emil had read it. There had been nothing too important in the message, so it shouldn't be a big deal. He pulled his laptop onto his lap and opened it up.

No big deal at all.

* * *

Natalia was thankful that the ringing had stopped. Apparently phones did that when you threw them at walls. It had been a peaceful breakfast and now was slowly moving onto a lunch. She should have shut herself on in her apartment a lot sooner, because she felt better than she had in weeks.

Then the knocking started.

Natalia had a slice of pizza halfway to her mouth, she froze, listening. Another few knocks, "Natalia? I know you're in there."

She recognized Brigitte's voice immediately, and set the greasy slice of pizza down. Natalia debated on whether to answer it, and before she even knew it she was looking through the peephole in her door. Sure enough, Brigitte stood in the hall, bundled up and blonde hair pulled back.

Natalia took a deep breath, and opened the door.

Brigitte didn't smile or say hi, and Natalia noticed her bloodshot eyes face-to-face. The woman noticed she had never seen her friend upset or not plastered in make-up.

"Hello." Natalia said after it was clear Brigitte was speechless.

"I'm sorry." Brigitte replied softly.

Natalia looked to the floor, "You're not forgiven."

"I'm going away for a while to see my brother back home." Brigitte put her hands in her pocket, "I'll call when I get back… If I do." Neither spoke for a moment and Brigitte took the opportunity to reach into her large purse and pull out a small envelope, "I have a plane to catch. I can't say it all. But here."

Natalia took the envelope and held it in both hands. It was blank, but heavy. When she looked back up, Brigitte was wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, "I'm sorry."

'That's all you have to say? Seriously?' Natalia stared blankly at Brigitte, feeling the weight of the letter. "You're not forgiven… yet."

Brigitte managed a small smile in response, and walked down the hall. Natalia watched her go, and when she turned to head down the stairs she spoke, "Have a safe flight!"

She saw Brigitte's back pause, "… Thanks."

Natalia shut her door and examined the envelope again, seeing that nothing had changed. She set it on her kitchen table and sat down. Now that Brigitte was gone, what was stopping her from going and seeing Lukas?

* * *

**AN/ Classy Brigitte. I bet, Lukas would appreciate that there text. -_-**


	8. Late Night Snow

**AN/ This chapter is really weird… Fixed I guess.**

* * *

EMIL WAS freezing. The bridge seemed especially cold tonight, or maybe it was the just because the first snow of the year fell softly around him. As he peered over the bridge he could only imagine what the dark waters below him would feel like. He wasn't stupid enough to jump and see for himself, so it would have to stay a mystery. The teen reached his shaky hand out of the warmth of his sweater pocket into his jeans, grabbing his cellphone. There was a text from his brother, and more importantly Natalia.

Emil jabbed the enter button and made sure she wasn't canceling on him. He had nearly died climbing out the window, he'd hate to think that he walked all the way out here for nothing. Emil replaced his phone with a frosty sigh and patted his other pocket for a cigarette. He lit it with a curse, and watched the end glow red.

"Didn't I tell you those were bad for you?" Emil glanced at the new voice, smiling.

"Hey, Natalia." He leaned against the edge of the bridge. Despite the fact she had turned him down and crushed him the day before he felt surprisingly warmer just seeing her. Natalia didn't answer, too busy taking a drink from a bottle. Her face was pink, but Emil blamed that on the cold. He wasn't sure what to blame the alcohol on her breath on.

She slurred into his face, "I have to ask you a question…"

Emil reached out and grabbed her arms, "Hey, are you drunk?"

"Of course not. I'm fine." Natalia put another protective hand on her bottle. "Now, is Lukas home? I went to his house…"

"He's at Berwald's. He couldn't drive home." Emil held onto her arm and started to pull her to a bench farther down the bridge, "Wait, come sit down. Sh-Should I call someone?"

"Why couldn't he drive?" Natalia fell on the bench, taking another swig from her bottle.

"Natalia is that the only reason you called me out here?" Emil had been asked to do many stupid things by drunken people. But this was a little too far. "It's, like, 13 outside."

She fell against him, offering him the bottle, "Want some? I can't finish this by myself. There's plenty left."

Emil took it – thankful it was mostly full – and set it on the ground, if nothing else but to keep it away from her, "Natalia why are you looking for Lukas?"

"Brigitte's gone." She weakly grabbed for the alcohol, "I was gonna go see him."

"And then what?" Emil turned her chin to make her look into eyes. His heart twitched, and he wasn't sure if he should be angry or worried.

Natalia leaned back on the bench, "What do you think?" She fell quiet, and Emil guessed she was falling asleep. "He probably wouldn't take me back anyway…" They sat quietly, and watched the snowfall around them. Emil's mind raced with ideas. Should he just call Berwald or Lukas? Perhaps Mathias would keep it all a secret. Maybe he should just call Natalia a taxi. But could she get home from there? The thought of bring her back to Berwald and Tino's crossed his mind, along with bringing her back to Lukas's currently empty home.

Natalia sat up abruptly, smiling, "I got it!" She grabbed Emil's hand tightly, making the poor boy flush fiercely, "Can you do me a favor?"

* * *

Natalia didn't want to get up in the slightest. She knew that beyond the safety of her bed was a world of bright lights and loud noises. She wished desperately to lie in bed all day, sleeping and moaning. But something told her she had something to attend to. The noise from her TV made its way to her ears, and she sat up.

Natalia didn't remember leaving the TV on last night, then again she didn't remember much from last night at all. Something heavy knotted in Natalia's stomach. She looked down, realizing she only wore black lingerie and fishnets. How she got into them she had absolutely no clue. Natalia glanced around her room suspiciously, spotting a camera on her dresser. What if some creeper had drugged her and taken pictures of her? What if he was going to gruesomely murder her? What if she had picked up a guy at the bar? Natalia crept out of bed, not taking the time to change. She silently snuck into the large room that served as a kitchen and living room. She saw no one on the couch, and deduced that they were lying down or hiding from her to jump out and kill her without a struggle. (Definitely the latter.)

Natalia ran to her kitchen, ballerina feet hardly making a sound. She grabbed the handle of the largest knife from the block, and turned her head to make sure whoever was there hadn't moved from their position. Natalia slowly lifted the knife and held it out in front of her. One step at a time she walked to the couch, holding her breath and being careful not to step on known creaky spots on her floor. Closer and closer. Natalia was right next to the couch now, but she didn't look just yet. With a deep breath she pounced to the foot of the couch, holding her knife ready to stab.

A wide-eyed Emil stared up at her, already pale face ghost-like. He swallowed thickly, "Nat?"

Natalia blinked in surprise, then relaxed with an angry sigh, "What the hell are you doing here?" She barked.

"I had to bring you home for the pictures." Emil pushed her blade away with a finger, "And it was cold and late. I figured it be alright if I stayed. Long as I didn't mess with anything." He smiled nervously, "Was I wrong?"

Natalia rolled her eyes and stormed back to the kitchen to return the knife in it's place, "It's fine. You just scared me, is all." She paused with her hand still on the knife and looked back at him, "Pictures?"

Emil flushed, "You wanted me to take pictures of you last night…"

"That explains the camera… What about the get-up?" Natalia looked down at herself once more and started to walk to her room for something to cover up with.

Emil followed her meekly, "You wanted me to take pictures of you in… those. Then we…" He trailed off, worried expression darkening his features, "You really don't remember?"

Natalia wrapped her robe tightly around her, "No. Spit it out." She stared at Emil without wavering, expecting a full answer.

Emil shrugged, "We brushed them up a bit and e-mailed them to my brother. You said he'd have to take you back once he saw them."

Natalia continued to stare, "I did what?"

"… You had me send Lukas provocative photos of yourself." Emil went to his camera and started putting it in its case with much focus, trying not to look at the women in front of him.

Natalia collapsed on her bed, stunned, "Oh my God... Oh my God."

Even more guilt stared to gnaw at Emil, as he realized he shouldn't have helped Natalia in her drunken state. He should have taken her home and dropped her off at the door. Emil cleared his throat, "I'm sorry."

Natalia shook her head, "That doesn't help me." She looked up at him, "How often does Lukas check his e-mail?"

"Quite often if he has his phone. But I think it's still in my room…" Emil hung his camera over his neck.

Natalia stood up again, "Can you get into his e-mail."

The teen snorted, "Of course I can!" He smiled, "Do you want me to delete the e-mails?"

"Yes. Beyond recovery. Just get rid of all evidence that the pictures even existed. Okay?" Natalia stepped closer to Emil, "Do you understand how important this is?"

Emil nodded, "Yeah, I get it..." He smirked, "Although, it might work."

"What?"

"He might come back to you if he sees those pictures." Emil waited as Natalia mulled over the thought.

She shook her head, blonde hair moving with her, "No. I don't want to ruin him and Brigitte, and I don't want him back like this. Now go, and make sure he doesn't see those pictures."

Emil nodded and turned, "Whatever you want."

"Thanks." Natalia called after him, sitting back down. She put her head in her hands. How could she be so stupid? She'd never drink again, and she'd never be caught in a situation even remotely like this either. Ever… but maybe a shot or two for the hangover.

* * *

Lukas woke up on Berwald's hard couch, foot aching. He reached over his head and grabbed a small pill bottle on the end table, popping one in his mouth and swallowing it dry.

"Good morning!" Tino pranced in, cheerful as he usually was in the morning. He leaned over the edge of the couch, "What do you want for breakfast?"

Lukas smirked, "Cooking? Maybe I should get myself one of these wives."

"You're damn lucky you're hurt and on Vicodin, Lukas." Tino scowled, "Otherwise I wouldn't be so kind." Tino went to the kitchen, continuing to rant, "You guys are always so pessimistic, it puts me in a bad mood. No wonder I'm so crabby by the time we go to bed. And for the last time I'm not a wife! And neither is Berwald! I just choose to stay home because I don't need to work, and it's not like I have anything to do. You don't really collect generic, day-to-day skills in the army. Not in the army I was in at least…"

For the most part, Lukas didn't listen. He knew Tino didn't need help filling the silence, and frankly he wasn't too interested in what the man had to say. He padded his pockets and the couch for his phone, when he couldn't find it he remembered that he had never gotten it back from Emil. Lukas groaned and sat up, stepping gingerly on his booted foot. He did his best to get up the stairs to Emil's room, and it took a painfully long time. He wasn't used to the heavy boot, and kept stomping his foot and bumping it on the side of the steps.

Finally, he was at Emil's door. Inside, he sighed at the sight of more stairs, despite being much shorter. Once at the top he took a break to look where his phone might be.

Or something else of interest.

Lukas looked over the books in Emil's bookshelf, pleased to see a good selection. He skipped over the computer on his desk. (It didn't take a genius to know what was on that.) He opened a desk drawer, slamming it shut as soon as he saw a suspicious bottle of lotion.

'Damn teenagers.' Lukas thought, trying another drawer. He pulled out a box of cigarettes, slipping them in his pocket. He rifled through pens and sticky notes, but found nothing important. In another drawer he found a stack of photos. Lukas could only guess that they were taken by Emil himself. He looked through some, wishing that Emil had showed them to him himself. They were quiet good. Lukas smiled and thought of the day when Emil had gotten his first camera. He had spent hours taking pictures of every little thing. And even longer still to figure out how to develop them.

In the next, and last drawer, Lukas found a mess. Rusty metal, rocks, shells, and old pictures. There was a pocket watch that Lukas remembered fondly. They had found it in the woods behind their house, on one of their usually unsuccessful treasure hunts. The fact that Emil had kept it gave him hope for their relationship.

He also pulled out a small velvet box with their father's wedding ring in it. Emil must have stolen it from Lukas's room long ago. Lukas sat on Emil's desk chair and fingered the gold band. He slipped it on his thumb, debating to take it back. Lukas decided to replace it, they'd talk it over another day. Although Lukas would probably take it, he had been closer to their father than Emil.

He found a gold bracelet that had been their mothers. It was tarnished and small, it'd have to do for one of their daughters. Emil would definitely take it, he had been quite the 'Mamma's boy.' Lukas found a tiepin their father had given Emil. It was gold, with a small, embellished lion – The family symbol. Lukas fingered it sadly. Their family had fallen from pride and grace. They used to be large and influential, but now the two remaining sons bickered and argued daily. Perhaps Emil kept it as a reminder of that. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard to get Emil to work with him.

Lastly, Lukas pulled out a pewter spoon. It was polished, and designed with ornate roses and vines. It had been their grandmothers, a woman they both hated bitterly but loved more than anything. It was often that Lukas would steal from her to amuse Emil. And this had been the gold medal of his endeavors. Lukas chuckled and returned with the other things. The keepsakes gave him faith, he couldn't possibly see Emil and himself being torn apart by disagreement now.

Lukas found his phone on Emil's bed and sat for a second to look through his messages. He ignored old texts and glanced over missed calls before coming to his email. A message from Natalia caught his eye, and he opened it.

* * *

**AN/ My internet is crashing as I try to upload this, I'm mooching off my neighbor. Needed to address the brother's relationship for background and set-up. Tino is so much fun, so is drunk Natalia. EDIT: I left the best AN when I was drugged.**


	9. Old Habits

Lukas stared at the pictures on his phone, and Natalia seemed to stare back up at him. He looked through them with a flick of his finger, confused. She must have taken these for somebody else, and sent them to him on accident. Just the thought of it made him clench his jaw and grit his teeth.

Or maybe they were meant for him. Maybe Natalia wanted to see him.

Lukas blinked and typed in Natalia's number by memory. He took a deep breath through his nose, pausing over the call button. He needed to slow down. Listening to his body and not thinking had gotten him into this whole mess. Was he able to hurt Brigitte like he hurt Natalia? ... Did she matter?

Of course she did. Lukas sighed and dropped his head into his hand. He remembered the hurt in Natalia's eyes when he told her about Brigitte. She hadn't looked angry, acted yes, but the look in her face was only pain. No matter how trivial his feelings for Brigitte were, he didn't want to hurt her like that.

But, it wouldn't be too bad to talk.

Lukas pressed the call button and put the phone to his ear, waiting patiently for Natalia to pick up. As the rings continued he started to tap his foot, then bounce his knee. She still did not pick up, and the call went to voicemail.

"Shit." Lukas muttered, quickly sending a text to Natalia. Asking her to meet him in twenty minutes at the park they first met at. He slipped the phone into his pocket, and got up off the bed. He limped to the door and down the stairs, only slipping twice and making it downstairs with relative ease. Nevertheless he was tired when he made it to the kitchen, and fell into a chair at the table.

Tino didn't look away from his cooking, "What were you up to?"

Lukas stared outside, "Can you drive me somewhere?"

Tino turned and studied Lukas. The man's slumped back and tired frown worried him, "Where?"

"Just to the park..." He glanced up at Tino, mentally debating how much he should give away. He could trust that Tino would keep his secret. But he couldn't trust that Tino wouldn't try to meddle and bother him about it, "I have to meet someone."

"Who?" Tino crossed his arms, and looked at Lukas with the same look he gave Peter when he was being lied to.

Lukas rolled his eyes, "A girl."

"Brigitte? Why can't she come pick you up? I know that your precious pride was hurt because you had to go to the ho-…"

"Tino." Lukas interrupted, looking Tino in the eye until the man made a face of understanding. He nodded at his friend's shocked expression.

Tino glanced at the yellow tile beneath his feet, while Lukas continued to stare at him. He shook his head, "Fine, but I'm not sure just what you're up to." Lukas followed him outside. Tino didn't need to know what Lukas was up to. No one did, for a long time.

* * *

Lukas sat on a bench in the park, looking down at his broken foot. It was especially cold and still slightly damp from the snow. It didn't hurt as much though, possibly from the cold. More likely the painkillers though.

Time dragged on, and snow started to fall from the grey clouds yet again. Lukas watched it, letting the breeze and silence calm his nerves. His stress seemed to be dampened by the snow as the world around him was. It was extremely peaceful, and he closed his eyes as he waited.

The squeak of snow being stepped on brought him back to reality. He looked around for Natalia, only finding a young couple waking past and holding hands. Lukas watched them, and worry started to creep into his mind. She hadn't picked up his call. Why would she come and meet him somewhere? A quick check of the time told him it had been nearly thirty minutes already.

Lukas continued to watch the snowfall to earth. He_ would_ wait for her. There was no other option. Obviously. But he doubted her, as he had doubted her before. He had learned that anything that had to do with hope and Natalia usually ended in disappointment.

The snow continued to fall, and the sky got darker. Lukas hummed to himself, and allowed himself another peek at the pictures she had sent him. The cold started to creep into his jacket, and he fidgeted around. He played games on his phone, checked the news.

Still, she did not come.

Lukas sat in the dark now, dusted with snow and sniffling from the cold. He got up with a groan, cracking his stiff bones, and started to walk out of the park. He made his way to the street slowly due to his injury, although he wished desperately to run to his destination. Since it was only across the street.

In front of the apartment building, he pulled out his keys and picked out the one to fit the front door. Natalia had never asked for it back. Lukas opted to use the elevator instead of the stairs like he used to, on the ride up he thought of what he should say. And came up blank.

Lukas knocked on the door softly, something inside him maybe hoping that she wouldn't open the door. He shoved it aside whatever it was, and took a deep breath. He knocked louder this time.

Natalia opened the door and gasped, her arm twitching as if to shut it again. Lukas jerked out and held it open. They stared at each other, still and silent. Natalia opened her mouth to speak, but ended up closing it and looking away. She opened the door wider and let Lukas step inside.

He closed the door behind him, never looking away from her with his unchanging eyes. Natalia refused to look at him, instead opting to stare at his foot, "What happened?"

"There was an accident. It's not too bad." He cleared his throat, "Natalia…"

"Well obviously it was bad. What happened?" She pressed, concern leaking into her tone.

Lukas tore his eyes away from her and looked at his foot, growing frustrated, "It doesn't matter, Nat. Now listen-…"

"No! Tell me why you're hurt!" She shouted, pointing sternly at his chest, "You always do this! It matters! Okay? It matters to me! I need to know what hurt you! I need to know you!"

"_I _always do this?!" Lukas couldn't help but raise his voice with her, "How is it me?! You didn't tell me anything about yourself either!"

"Then why are you so hung up on me?" Natalia snapped.

Lukas didn't have a response to that, only a feeble, "'M not…" Wasn't she the one to send him naked pictures? What was happening?

Natalia rolled her eyes, "And your stupid 'Everybody has a past, all that matters is the present' is fucking ridiculous. Just like you. _Ridiculous._" She scoffed, "You know what. Just go. I don't want to see your face anymore." Natalia turned away. Lukas watched her pale hair dance.

He huffed and pulled her to face him again, kissing her gently on the lips, "Bye, Snowflake." He turned on his heels and hurried out as fast as he could, not waiting to see her reaction.

Outside of the building he stopped and pulled out his phone to call Tino. Licking his lips and tasting strawberries on them. It made his stomach growl from hunger and something else inside him want more. He closed his eyes and listened to the rings on his phone.

_'Guess old habits die hard…'_

**AN/ It's super quiet in my house and I have to wait for the heater to turn on to actually type. I guess that's what I get. Anyways, this one was kinda fast, but I had the idea all worked out. See any problems just tell me it's late and I probably missed a few. Enjoy stubborn/humbled Lukas and not-putting-up-with-your-shit-Natalia.**


	10. Miserable Melodrama

OVER THE past two days Lukas had called her, texted her, e-mailed her, written to her, sent her flowers, and even tried to see her in person again. Natalia would not have any of it, and effectively ignored every one of his attempts to get her back. Something he found very frustrating.

Lukas was staying in his own home again, hunched at his desk. His Vicodin had reduced the ache in his foot and the only sound in his house was the clicking of his pen hitting his teeth. His indigo eyes stared out the window, watching snow come down in a blizzard. In front of him was a yellow legal pad, untouched and the only sign of use the remains of torn away pages.

The man sighed angrily and leaned back in his chair, throwing the pen onto the desk and running a hand through his blonde hair. Lukas closed his eyes and lifted his good foot to rest on the desk. He was desperate at this point. All of his feelings pressed into letters and voicemails and e-mails. It wasn't working. But Natalia had a certain appeal to another form of affection. It'd just cost his wallet. Lukas got up, stopping to stretch and crack his back. He grabbed his coffee mug off the desk, and headed to the kitchen for another cup. Finding that the pot was empty.

Lukas groaned and started to make another one. He waited in the kitchen as it brewed, and his fingers drifted to the cellphone in his pocket. He sat up straight and stared at it, one thought popping into his head. Brigitte. Just where was Brigitte? Why the hell hadn't they talked? He quickly dialed her number and waited for her to answer.

It wasn't Brigitte's high-pitched and childish voice that answered though. Instead a gruff, annoyed, voice responded with a blunt, _"What do you want?"_

Lukas would have been outraged if he wouldn't have been a total hypocrite in doing so, "Um, who is this?"

_"_You're _the one who called."_ The voice said lazily.

Lukas swallowed his sarcastic tone after deciding he didn't like the man, "May I speak to Brigitte please?"

_"Depends on who you are… Are you her jackass boyfriend?"_

"… No." Lukas's mind raced, "I'm her friend, Emil."

_"Hm… well it doesn't matter she's saying that she doesn't want to talk to anybody… Hey, what do you want me to say?! You get over here and talk to him."_ He spoke to somebody in the room with him. Lukas could only assume it was Brigitte.

"If she's right there can't I just speak to her?" Lukas asked, "I need to talk to her."

_"No. She just left. She'll probably feel like talking when she gets back to your area though."_

"_My_ area?" Lukas questioned. Had she left sometime? "Where is she?"

_"… She's in the Netherlands, but I assume she means to go back… At some point…"_ The man paused, then coughed, _"Brigitte will talk to you when she feels like it… It was nice to meet you Evan."_

Lukas sat with the phone still held to his ear, stunned. Who was that? And why was Brigitte with him in Holland? He took a deep breath and rubbed his temples, trying to calm himself. He shouldn't freak out, it wouldn't help. It was probably just her brother. He should figure out what he was going to do, then how he was going to do it.

Lukas got up and poured himself another mug of coffee. First of all, he needed to let Brigitte go. _Gently_. She didn't deserve to be crushed or shunned or anything. She really was a sweet girl. But what could he tell her to make her hate him? The truth would work. But it would hurt. Although maybe they'd had enough lies in this twisted relationship – no, fiasco. The truth would be a nice breath of fresh air for everybody. (Maybe more like a chilly, howling wind. But fresh nonetheless.)

He could move away, take to the sea on his currently neglected boat. Change his name and…

No, that wasn't even something to joke about. Just thinking about leaving Emil behind nearly broke his heart. Lukas shook his head of his muddled thoughts and searched for something more productive to focus on.

His phone came alive, ringing and vibrating on the table. Lukas glanced at the number and quickly picked up, "Hello?"

An automated message greeted his ears, making the man swear under his breath. It was a computer he'd heard many times: The one that called when your child skipped class. Lukas didn't bother listening to the whole thing, and hung up after making sure it _was_ Emil that they were calling for. He'd been happily surprised once, but just once.

Lukas turned his phone off and put it back on the table. He'd had enough phone calls in one day. Enough human contact to be perfectly honest. He left the kitchen, leaving his coffee, and found a seat on the couch in the living room. A rough hand grabbed his laptop then the other grabbed his TV remote. With the news on low, Lukas opened his computer to spend the rest of the day relaxing on the internet.

* * *

Emil went home early, done with school and teachers and typical teenage problems. He was drained, enough to push aside his worries about Tino's reactions. And definitely too drained to really listen to the man's scolding. He stood in the entryway staring at his shoes and flexing his fists in his pockets. He only caught snippets of Tino's speech.

Tino noticed, "Emil!" He shouted.

The teen glanced up at him.

"What did I just say?!"

Emil was disgusted. He sounded like the teachers that treated him like a child. The adults that never believed in him. His older brother. He felt betrayed, Tino had always been a figure he could count on as a friend and caregiver.

"I don't know." Emil mumbled, he shrugged, "Don't really care either."

Tino bit back his initial response, pausing to control his anger. Emil dared to look him straight in the face. His eyes were deadly, and Emil couldn't recall seeing him this upset. Tino let loose a noise of frustration and pointed at the door, "Get out!" He shouted.

"What?" Emil's blue eyes widened.

"I said get the hell out of my house!" Tino shouted, "If you're going to be disrespectful and just… a _delinquent_ then I don't want you in my house, near my son. Jus—just get out!"

Emil stared up at him, stunned and hurt, "But…"

The look he gave Tino nearly killed the man, but he shook his head, his decision made, "Wait outside. I'll call Lukas to come pick you up." Tino looked away first, crossing his arms and waiting for Emil to walk out.

Emil blinked, surprised at the tears pricking his eyes. He was expecting the anger that came. The teen scoffed and brushed off the water in his eyes. He stormed out and slammed the door behind him. Emil kicked off the snow on the porch's first step to sit down. He immediately curled up, bringing up his knees and burying his head in them.

He was so upset it made him hurt, and his stomach was sick. He hated Tino for letting him stay in the first place. And then for kicking him out. He hated Lukas for making their house unbearable. He hated that he got in so much trouble. And hated himself for being such an idiot. Emil sat there hating, feeling worse and worse. He waited for Lukas until the sun disappeared behind clouds. Snow started to fall and he shivered, wishing he wasn't such and idiot and hadn't forgotten his coat. Eventually, Berwald came home from work. Studied the teen for a moment, took off his jacket and draped it over Emil.

He started to cry as soon as the fabric fell on him. Why wasn't Lukas here yet? Why wouldn't Tino let him back in? He knew that Tino was watching him out the window, and he knew that he looked pathetic and weak. But he didn't care. Emil planned on sitting in his tears, and letting the whole world see them.

* * *

**AN/ I actually had this one written before tonight so that's always a plus. I like this one too. But I liked the last one before I posted it and now I think it's crap. You guys keep on reading and giving me good feedback though. I'll keep trying to make them better and better. Thanks!**


	11. Our Fears

**AN/ Oh my God you guys. So after I dealt with the sickness, I had some issues with mental health that were getting taken care of. I've started studying for my school finals already, and I'm sick again. Not to mention I've had to reread everything. Btw, I've gone through the chapters for some editing, but nothing major has changed. Sorry for the long wait and thank you so much for sticking with it. Like I've said every review is inspiration for me. And again I need feedback; we're all trying to improve right?**

* * *

THE SUN had nearly set when Emil lifted his head. It was starting to get cold, and he put his arms into Sweden's large winter coat. Lukas still hadn't showed up, and Emil was tired of waiting. He got up, roughly wiping his eyes with the cold sleeve.

His legs were stiff as he walked, but he could feel his wallet and his cellphone in his back pocket. So he continued. Away from Tino and Berwald's house. Nobody stopped him, so he kept walking.

* * *

Lukas wandered around his house aimlessly. Something felt wrong, an exotic taste in his mouth and a queasy feeling in his stomach. He couldn't sit still, but there was nothing to do. The worst part was not knowing what was wrong. It wasn't like he could find the problem and fix it. He just had to sit and wait for whatever what was happening to happen.

He sat in his bedroom, looking around, lost, almost scared. Then something hit him. He jumped to his feet, and hurried down the stairs to the kitchen. He grabbed his cell-phone off of the table and turned it back on. It seemed to take forever.

Finally the phone was back on, but before Lukas could make a call it exploded with text and other alert messages. He had tens of missed calls and texts, most from Tino, a few from Mathias. Lukas struggled to read them, as when he opened one another text came in. He groaned and set the phone down for a minute, crossing his arms and glaring at it.

When it stopped buzzing and dinging he picked it up again and called Tino. The phone hardly rang once before it was picked it up, "_Lukas?! Why haven't you been answering?!"_

He blinked, surprised to hear a sobbing Tino on the phone, "What's wrong?"

"_I-I-I made him… I… he's gone… Oh God!"_ Tino was incoherent, only a handful of words making it through his sobs.

"Tino. Tino! I can't understand you!" There was muffling and crackling on the phone, Lukas guessed it was being passed to someone else.

"L'kas." Berwald grunted into the phone.

"Yes! Berwald what's going on?" Lukas shouted impatiently into the phone.

"Em'l an' T'no h'd a fight." There was a long pause. Berwald not speaking and Lukas holding his breath.

"Do I need to come get him?" Lukas closed his eyes, the sickening feeling worse.

"H's g'ne L'kas. H' r'n 'way s'mewhere." Berwald, "T'no an' I 're g'nna go look fer 'im."

"Uh-huh." Lukas had already started pulling on his brown leather jacket and flat cap, "… Me too." He grabbed a scarf, but didn't put it on just yet. "I'll talk to you later Berwald." He hung up without another word and grabbed his keys. Outside big flakes of snow had started to fall. Lukas hardly noticed it, but he didn't note how much snow had fallen barely into November

* * *

Natalia was having her first good night in ages. There seemed to be an endless supply of wine, and enough Chinese food to feed a family. She didn't have a single thought of Lukas or Brigitte, not even her big brother Ivan. No, the only thing on Natalia's mind was the movie rental store's delivery boy and the next movie she'd have him deliver. He was very cute… in an under-aged, trembling, shy way.

The knock on the door was not the delivery boy; Natalia had no idea who it was. She lazily got to her feet, tying her robe tighter around her and stopping to quickly top of her glass of Merlot. There was another knock, "Natalia, please! I can see the light under your door! …You never leave it on…"

It was Lukas. Any other circumstance she probably would have ignored him, but the tone of his voice was strange. Almost as if he was pleading, _begging_. Lukas held many mysteries from Natalia, but she knew the man did not beg.

She opened the door an inch, almost fearful of what she'd find. But it was just Lukas, snow melting on his coat and hat, a scarf wrapped tightly around his neck, his face was flushed from cold and exertion, he panted, and in his eyes was a wild look Natalia had never seen before, "Lukas?" She opened the door wider.

"Is he here?!" He pushed his way inside, striding into the living room area and looking around, "God dammit, Natalia! He loves you doesn't he? Where the hell is he?" He whipped around to look at her.

Natalia narrowed her eyes, "If you're going to shout then you can get out!"

Lukas inhaled deeply, "Sorry…"

"Now what's going on?" She shut the door and walked to him.

Lukas didn't answer at first, his eyes flicked around the apartment, "Is Emil here?"

"… No." Natalia answered, reluctant to play along while in the dark, "Why would he be here?"

"He ran away." Lukas said, then leaned forward and grabbed her shoulders, "If he's here he can stay, whatever. I just need to know he's safe. Please."

She shook her head, "He's not here Lukas."

Lukas stared into her face for another moment, Natalia stared back. He let go and headed for the door, "I'm sorry I bothered you."

"Lukas, wait! D-Did you check the bridge?" He stopped and turned, nodding.

"And the docks? He said he liked to go down there once."

"Yes, I've checked everywhere in town."

"I… uh… Let me help you look for him!" She blurted.

Lukas blinked at her.

"He was my friend too… and he's your brother. I-I'd hope you'd help me look for my missing sibling." Natalia headed to her room, "Just let me get dressed! I'll hurry!"

…

"Take a right here."

"Dear God, where are you leading me?" Lukas obeyed her command despite his questions.

"You'll see." Natalia answered. The road turned to dirt, and Lukas slowed over the bumpy and rough road. His passenger looked around the dark woods surrounding them fearfully. She hoped that Emil wasn't in the woods, lost in the dark. Along and scared.

Lukas slowed as he reached the garage Emil called a hideout. He squinted out at it, "Where the fuck are we, Snowflake?"

"Emil took me here to take pictures of me once." Natalia opened his glove box, "Do you have a flashlight?"

"There should be one in there." He unbuckled and opened up his door, keeping the car and it's headlights on.

Natalia hurried after with the flashlight, but froze beside the car and watched Lukas. He paced in front of the garage, examining it's chipping paint and wood. When had Emil found this place? How? Was it even safe for him to go inside?

Natalia's footsteps in the dirt made Lukas turn around, squinting in the light. She looked down at the flashlight, and he strode into the garage. Natalia examined the tube, looking for the switch. She turned it on with a triumphant smile, and ran after Lukas.

"Hey-…" She tripped in the doorway, the flashlight spinning out of her hands and onto the floor. With lighting like reflexives, Lukas caught her arms.

He pulled her up, "You okay?"

Natalia nodded and looked around in the dark. She shook her head, "I'm scared."

Lukas looped an arm around her waist, "Hey, it'll be okay." He went to the flashlight – bringing her with him – and picked it up. The garage was small, and it only took seconds to illuminate every inch of it. Lukas's hand dropped in defeat, "There's nothing here… Nothing to be afraid of."

Natalia looked up at him. She had never seen him so sad, it hurt. "Lukas." She reached a hand up and cupped his cheek, urging him to look at her. His indigo eyes turned to her blue ones, "It'll be okay." She whispered, "He's a smart kid."

"That's just it, Snowflake. He's just a kid." Lukas looked away from her, deep frown chiseled into his face, "I have no idea how to… be there for him. And then when I try…" He cleared his throat, blinking rapidly. Natalia's eyes widened, Lukas was close to tears. _Lukas_ was close to tears.

"I'm either smothering him or neglecting him, Nat." He looked back at her, "I suck at this! I mean, something was wrong after Mom and Dad died but then he had to deal with me being… unstable and depressed and I'm still having problems. I don't think I ever asked him if he was okay even. I don't deal with my emotions and I expected him not to deal with his. I-…" Lukas's mad ramblings stopped, his hand came up to cover his eyes, "I'm scared Natalia."

"Oh Lukas." She pushed aside his hand and looked back into his eyes. They were wet, and more tears dripped down his cheeks. Natalia wiped a big one away with her thumb, "It's okay. We'll find him. And it'll work out. You'll see."

Lukas snapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a tight embrace, burying his face in her shoulder. Natalia grunted, forced onto her tiptoes. Her first instinct was to push away, but the way Lukas's shoulders jumped under her arms made her stop.


	12. Almost Natural

**AN/ This was so fun. Sorry guys, but I totally have a headcanon that the Nordics get super flirty when drunk. And we've already established that Norway's a little sleazy.**

* * *

LUKAS'S EYES were bloodshot, his face tired. He drove silently, completely focused on the road. Natalia was dying in the silence. She knew that silence was what he needed, it was something she had hated when they were dating. Natalia closed her eyes and leaned her head back, trying to listen only to the sound of the car. But soon the thought of the man next to her crept in again, she fell asleep thinking about him…

_Natalia remembered the night they first met vividly. She was drinking with Kateryna and Ivan, and the night had dragged on long enough that all three of them were plenty drunk. That seemed to be the only way they could sit together: Halfway into their second bottle of vodka._

_There was a group in the back, the loudest in the bar. All of them were pissed drunk, and Natalia couldn't stop staring at one of them. He was winking and throwing out compliments at every girl that passed the table to go to the bathroom. Natalia was enthralled with him. She had never known that confidence, not since she was an unstoppable child running wild and free._

_"Natashka? Where are you going?" She had stood up, and downed the last of her vodka._

_"I'm going to kiss that man over there." Natalia shook out her hair and adjusted her dress. Kateryna laughed, and if Natalia had not been drunk, she would have seen the disgruntled look Ivan donned. But she didn't see it or his sudden protective attitude, and strode towards the bathroom._

_The table grew quite as she approached, and Natalia wouldn't deny that the stares she was getting felt good. One of them whistled, and Natalia turned. She met his gaze. Indigo eyes staring, drinking in every inch of her. Natalia liked it. A lot._

_She grabbed his arm, "C'mon, jackass."_

_Natalia dragged him away from the noise of the bars and whoops from the table. The blonde stopped her and turner her into the wall. Natalia gasped, and waited patiently as he leaned in._

_They're lips met softly, surprising both of them. And Natalia was so pleased at the way his gentle hands stroked her sides the sounds of the rowdy bar disappeared until it was just the sound of their mouths meeting. The pay phone was no longer digging into her head, and the bare brick wall was no longer cold and rough against her skin…_

"Snowflake." Lukas's ever gentle hand was on her leg, "We're at you're apartment."

Natalia woke with a start, confused and groggy. She looked to Lukas, "What?"

"We're here." Lukas said softly. He undid his seatbelt, "I'll walk you in."

"No. I wanna go to your place." She grabbed his hand, "Please. I wanna help."

Lukas took her hand in both of his, "You've helped plenty. Besides, there isn't much to do. Tino's called the cops, everyone's been looking for him. I just…" He paused, and sighed. He spoke in a whisper "I don't know what else _to_ do."

Natalia moved her hand to squeeze his shoulder, "I just want to be there."

His lips twitched up in a smirk at the sight of Natalia: limp, half-asleep, and her hair sticking to her red cheek where she had been resting on the car seat. Lukas grabbed his seatbelt, buckling up again, "Thank you, Snowflake… It means a lot."

Natalia let him go, and closed her tired eyes again.

* * *

Lukas's driveway was filled with the cars of his friends, and the house was lit up like a lightbulb. He didn't want to deal with everyone just yet, so he shut the car off at the very end and sat, taking a moment to himself. He really should have seen this coming. Emil couldn't stand Lukas, and he had no clue as to why. One minute the boy was complaining about Lukas being a 'rock' and the next he needed to give him some space.

Lukas got out of the car and walked around to Natalia's side. He opened the door and leaned down, kissing her forehead, "Snowflake, c'mon." She groaned and moved her head, not waking. Lukas chuckled and unbuckled her, then lifted her up bridal style.

He kicked on the door, and Tino opened it. The small man looked at Lukas sadly, then at Natalia in his arms. He stepped aside to let them in, "The cops are going to come back tomorrow. They want to talk to you…" He whispered.

Lukas didn't answer. Just continued through the house, ignoring Mathias and Berwald, and up the stairs. He went to his room and laid Natalia on the bed, then took off her shoes and covered her in the blankets. He went back downstairs and stood on the final step, staring at his friends. His family.

Mathias looked up at him, "Lukas-…"

"Thank you." He looked away from them all, "I'm glad you all are here."

"I'm sorry." Tino whined, tears falling down his face. "I was just so frustrated and I kicked him out…" He covered his face, hunched over and shaking. Berwald put a comforting hand on his back.

"Tino, don't." Lukas sat down next to his friend., "I've been a horrible guardian for the past eight years… I don't know what the problem is but it certainly isn't you. He loved being a part of your family…" Lukas rubbed his forehead, exhausted, "Tino, stop crying."

"I'm just worried!" He snapped, "Leave me alone." The room went quiet for a while. Tino's soft crying tapered to a few sniffles. With the quiet grew tension. Mathias started to fidget and look around, Berwald let out a loud sigh.

Lukas jumped up, "I don't want to sit here."

Mathias watched his friend pace around the living room, "What do you want to do?"

"I don't know, Mathias!" Lukas shouted at him.

The man looked at the floor, defeated so quickly, "Sorry…"

"C'lm d'wn." Berwald got up and grabbed Lukas's shoulder.

The shorter man whipped around, "Don'y you fuckin' tell me to calm down, Berwald! My little brother is out there alone, and scared, and in danger!"

"Y'lling ain't gonna-…"

Lukas grabbed Berwald's collar, "What? Not gonna help?!" He was nearly shrieking, "Well maybe it is! Maybe I don't want to sit and wait for the police to call and tell me he's dead!" Lukas pushed Berwald away (tried to, it'd take more than an angry shove to move the bear of a man), "I'm terrified! And I hate it! I-I… I don't know what to do!"

The room went quiet again, and the tension returned. Lukas gasped for breath, struggling to quell panic. He took one deep breath and closed eyes, completely still.

Lukas's indigo eyes opened, calm once more. He shook his head, "I'm sorry. That was inappropriate. I'm tired… I…" He looked around, "You guys feel free to stay if you need to. In here, the guest room-…"

"Peter is in the guest room." Tino said, sniffing and wiping his eyes.

"Ok. I'm going to bed." Lukas left the room in a haze, taking the steps slowly. He didn't go to his room, but the one across the hallway. The door creaked as it opened, and Lukas stepped into the dark.

The room was light blue, Emil's favorite color at the time. Or second, Lukas wouldn't let him pick out the white color. The furniture was handmade, cheap. Created by Lukas's own hands before the inheritance had finally come. Lukas had a hell of a time learning how to make it. Thankfully Berwald was a good teacher.

Lukas went to the closet and opened it. He and Emil were eight years apart, a big enough gap for them to have completely different tastes in style. Lukas remembered frowning upon Emil's black skinny jeans and metal music. Lukas shut the closet, chuckling, remembering the day Emil skipped school to get his nose pierced. And how quickly Lukas took it out when his little brother came home. He went to the desk, finding long forgotten photos Emil had taken. Lukas always enjoyed seeing his little brother's photos, he never got the chance to see them anymore.

"Lukas?"

He turned his head sharply, and spotted Natalia in the doorway. He swallowed thickly and put the photos down, "I was just…"

"You don't have to explain…" She came forward, and leaned against Lukas's shoulder, "He'll be okay."

Lukas turned and pulled her into a hug, "I've never been so worried."

Natalia hugged him back, lifting her head to kiss his jaw, "It'll be okay, Lukas…"

"Will it?!" Lukas pulled her back, gripping her shoulders tightly, "Can you tell me with all certainty that it will be okay?!"

After a moment's pause Natalia shook her head, her eyes glinted with seriousness, "No. I can't. But I know Emil. I know that he can handle himself…"

"No thanks to me." Lukas said bitterly, stepping away from her and moving towards the bed. He grazed the black blanket with the tips of his fingers, "I taught him that you know. I've figured it out." He sat, voice choked, "Constantly hiding my emotions, keeping to myself, living life in secret." Lukas looked back at Natalia, eyes full of tears for the second time that night, "He picked that up from me. And teenagers are all messed up, you know. Now imagine what would happen if you took a child, killed his parents, and taught him to shove all of his emotions so deep inside his heart he can't even realize them himself."

Natalia sat next to him, her hand resting on his shoulder, "Lukas. You're parents died too. You have feelings too. Don't forget about yourself…"

"That's what I'm supposed to do!" He broke down, crying more than he had in probably his whole life, "He's the child. I'm his guardian-…"

"You're his brother!" Natalia whispered, "My sister used to say 'If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.' Of course, 'Mama' was her and the 'nobody' was my older brother and-and she never listened to her own advice but this really isn't helping is it… Lukas please don't cry."

The man started to laugh, small chuckles and sobs, "I thought- I thought you were just telling me not to forget about myself."

"I know, but it's awkward when you cry." She pouted, face cold, "I'm not used to seeing you…"

"Emotional? No one is." Lukas wiped his eyes, "Don't worry. I'm done. No more tears."

"No you should cry…" Natalia murmured, "I'm here."

Lukas smiled at her and wrapped his fingers with hers, "Thank you for that."

Natalia blinked up at him, "I'm sorry."

Lukas looked at her, "For… "

"For saying that your parents…" She didn't finish.

Lukas shook his head, "It's forgotten."

There was a silence—the night seemed full of them—then Lukas blurted out, "I hated them… All they did was love me and shower me with attention."

Natalia smiled and shrugged, "I guess Emil gets that from you too."

Lukas stared at her for a moment, then started laughing. A wheezy laugh of that made his eyes water, "Oh my God, you're right." Natalia, at a loss for words, started laughing with him.

Lukas wiped his eyes, "I was always so upset that he didn't get attention you know. He was such a cute little kid. I think that might be why I acted out so much…"

Natalia moved her hand to his back, "You've always been a good brother, huh?"

Lukas nodded, "Yeah… God I'm worried."

Natalia kissed his cheek and his neck, then lied down on Emil's bed, "Come, tell me more about him."

Lukas swallowed, and took a deep breath as he kicked off his shoes then lied next to Natalia, facing her. Their hands twined together. She fell asleep soon into his second story, but Lukas still spoke. His voice never louder than a whisper. He didn't sleep that night, and morning was a relief for his dry throat and his loneliness.


End file.
